i’m glad you took time to address the the problem of djs/compilers forcing the makers of the music they build their careers on to be anonymous. its a terrible/harmful trend, and it seems to be growing as new djs/compilers reproduce what they’ve seen their heroes do, think that that is how it works. meanwhile, people who, for the first time, have a chance to be heard by the rest of the world remain nameless and voiceless. it is one thing for an dj/compiler to not name well-known artist in order to avoid the, possibly, inevitable lawsuits. however, it is another thing for a dj/compiler to obscure names and titles in order to appropriate a genre and remake it in his or her own image.

4/4:
How much were you (physically) in London? To say 4/4 made any serious “inroads” (people still use that word? WW2 slang?) is an incredible overstatement. I can count the number of nights (that featured it) in London on one hand. The Blogoratti may have noted (hyped) its presence, but that’s about it. It’s still very much a Northern thing. And, let’s face it, it’s just speed garage with a little more…wobble.

Dubstep:
And to say that Dubstep’s creative center (by that I assume you mean London) “grew stagnant”, is pretty dismissive/narrow, given some of the recent releases that have shattered any genre trappings trying to hold them back. Say what you want about the new BURIAL record, but months later, it’s not boring, it’s an actual ALBUM, and it gets play from people way outside any particular scene. The recent Kode 9 podcast on Rinse, teaming up with Flying Lotus, is also a top moment for the scene, showcasing possibilities that are just ‘plain musical’, and not tempo restricted, or lost in the darkness.

Indie Rock:

I can’t speak on this.

Cumbia:

Poor show. You could insert any marginalized ethnic musical form for the word ‘cumbia’, and you’d still be saying the same old things in this paragraph. Flip/change the names of a few places and bammo, you have every world music blog entry of 2007. Kuduro, Baile, even Reggaeton need to move beyond this tired discourse of “poor, black, indigenous”. As the sound gets bigger, and pro-sumer recording technology infiltrates these places, surely the best is yet to come. And how many times can you use the words ‘bootleg’ or ‘mash-up’ and expect it to carry any weight? Need examples man. Bollocks to that bit. I feel like I read a hundred words and all I got was a couple name-drops.

Word Music:

NICE ONE. I’m very happy that you gave it to these Sublime Frequencies types though. They need a swift kick in the teeth for plundering art, without promoting actual people.

Konono No. 1:

Have you even listened to this band? I guess you could call it “neo-folk”, but then it would seem that the writer is the one giving them the “manicure”. They play straight up Congolese inspired African “trance” music with some rugged-ass modified instruments, speakers, and amplification. And “Afro-Punk?” Sheesh. That’s the best you could do? Seriously? It’s easy to hate on a group that has it’s press game on lock.

Lil Wayne:

I’m not so sure I’d go calling out Weezy on his sex preference simply ’cause you want him to join your Banjee club. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but why speculate? Rappers don’t need to be dragged out of the closet by bloggers.

Myspace, Oink, etc:

No problems there. Not a bad paragraph at all. Solid.

Also, you once wrote a most clever essay DISSING year-end “lists” did you not?
What up with that? Stick to your guns, perhaps?

Peace.

i’ve never been able to bring myself to do year-end lists, but i’d give a forward to a lot of your picks, for sure.